Movie Picks

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After the Sunset (PG-13) After a successful last score, a master thief (Pierce Brosnan) retires to an island paradise. His lifelong nemesis, a crafty FBI agent, washes ashore to ensure he's making good on his promise. The pair soon enters into a new game of cat-and-mouse. Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Alfie (R)

In this remake of the 1966 film starring Michael Caine, Jude Law plays the role of the cockney cad, trolling New York City for women, sex and self gratification, only to find an empty spot where the heart belongs. A charming supporting cast including Marisa Tomei and Susan Sarandon move the film along, but Law is up-front and center in every scene, spending a good deal of time conversing directly with the audience. He's adorably disarming, but not seductive; his pretty boyish looks make it near impossible to accept he pure cynicism and world weariness Alfie represents. Forty years later, the sexual stereotypes are a bit harder to swallow, but some things really don't change -- there are always wolves among us in the thick forest of sexual relationships, both male and female. -- Kathryn Eastburn

Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

*The Bourne Supremacy (PG-13)

The true star of The Bourne Supremacy is director Paul Greengrass, whose fight-scene cinematography is riveting. This sequel is not quite as personally involving as its predecessor, but equally as thrilling and easily one of the best films of summer '04. -- Kathryn Eastburn

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Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason (R) The story picks up four weeks after the first film, 2001's Bridget Jones's Diary. Apart from discovering that her boyfriend is a conservative voter, Bridget has to deal with a new boss, a strange contractor and the worst vacation of her life. Starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. -- Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Cellular (PG-13) A young man (Chris Evans) receives a call on his cellular phone from a woman (Kim Basinger) who says she's been kidnapped and thinks she's going to be killed soon. She doesn't know where she is, and his cell phone battery might run out soon. -- Not reviewed

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*Friday Night Lights (PG-13)

Director Peter Berg's scrappy adaptation of H.G. Bissinger's 1990 book about the cult of high school football in a dying West Texas town. Billy Bob Thornton's acting range is remarkable, and in Friday Night Lights he has reached for a piece of humanity he hasn't yet depicted on film. Carrying the film alongside Thornton is the fine young actor Lucas Black as the Odessa Permian High School Panthers' worried quarterback; Derek Luke as brash, cocksure Boobie Miles, the team's star running back until he blows out his knee; and country music singer Tim McGraw as an abusive, alcoholic father in a screen debut that's surprising in its intensity and authenticity. -- Kathryn Eastburn

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

The Grudge (PG-13)

For moviegoers looking for some edge-of-the-seat, popcorn-flying-off-the-lap thrills, The Grudge won't disappoint -- at least for the first half of the film. A remake of a popular Japanese haunted-house thriller, The Grudge retains its original writer/director Takashi Shimizu as well as its grainy, subtly photographed and disorienting Japanese sets. But it falls apart under the weight of long clunky flashbacks and uninspired acting. Worse, jumpy cuts create confusion and break the tension necessary for keeping a horror movie scary into its final scenes. Halfway into the film, the nonstop appearance of pale-skinned ghouls becomes more humorous than harrowing. When the nature of the curse is finally revealed, the effect is neither shocking nor frightening -- just strange. -- Dan Wilcock

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

The Incredibles (PG)

A family of superheroes in hiding is forced to reveal themselves to save the world, again. A Pixar Animation Studio's 6th digitally animated feature. -- Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

I, Robot (PG-13) The year is 2035. Robots have become common household accessories. Chicago Police Detective Del Spooner (Will Smith) is investigating a case in which he alone believes a robot is the culprit. Based on the science-fiction short stories of Isaac Asimov. -- Not reviewed

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Ladder 49 (PG-13)

Responding to the worst blaze in his career, firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes trapped inside a 20-story building and reflects on his life while his mentor, Chief Mike Kennedy (John Travolta), frantically coordinates the effort to save him. -- Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Napoleon Dynamite (PG) Napoleon Dynamite is a harmless spawn of Sundance that could have been an excellent character piece had it not overindulged in its own idiosyncratic sensibility. The film's protagonist is Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder), a teenager whose mouth is forever agape and whose disposition hops between extreme dopiness and standard-issue adolescent indignation. While Napoleon Dynamite is littered with hilarious bits and pieces, they add up to only a few hard laughs and not much else. -- John Dicker

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The Passion of the Christ (R)

Hey! Didya hear? Mel Gibson's made some sort of Jesus movie. Who knew? If your spirituality requires a graphic reminder of your messiah's martyrdom, then this is your feel-humbled hit of the spring. If not, well, Jesus Christ Superstar still holds up like a champ. -- John Dicker

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*The Polar Express (G) See full review, page 31.

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Cinemark IMAX, Tinseltown

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (G)

When Mia (Anne Hathaway) assumes the role as princess of Genovia with her grandmother Queen Clarisse (Julie Andrews), Mia learns that she will be inheriting the crown and that she must be married before doing so. -- Not reviewed

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Raise Your Voice (PG)

Terri Fletcher (Hilary Duff) is a small-town girl who gets accepted to a music school and sneaks off to LA. -- Not reviewed

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*Ray (PG-13)

See full review, page 33.

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (R)

The cult classic, audience participation flick will play every Saturday at the Lon Chaney Theater downtown. Audience members are encouraged to dress in character and bring props. No open flames allowed, but flashlights are OK. Admission and all the popcorn you can eat for $5. -- Not reviewed

City Auditorium, Saturday at Midnight

Saw (R)

With a dead body laying between them, two men wake up in the lair of a serial killer. -- Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Seed of Chucky (R)

In this fifth installment in the comedy-horror Child's Play series, evil puppet-come-to-life Chucky and his bride Tiffany hit up Hollywood. Not reviewed

Carmike 10, Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Shall We Dance? (PG-13)

A romantic comedy in which a bored, overworked accountant, upon first sight of a beautiful instructor, signs up for ballroom dancing lessons. Starring Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon. -- Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Shark Tale (PG) This under-sea Mafia movie, set in the world of saltwater fish, is the story of a bottom-feeder named Oscar (Will Smith), who finds himself blamed for the death of the mob boss shark's son. Not reviewed

Chapel Hills 15, Cinemark 16, Tinseltown

Shrek 2 (PG)

In Shrek, the first installment of this computer-animated series, the lovable ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) vanquished the evil Lord Farquaad to win Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) as his bride. In Shrek 2, he faces a more daunting challenge: meeting the in-laws. -- Not reviewed

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Spider-Man 2

As the film opens, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is having trouble keeping up at school despite being a bona fide scientific genius and is growing more alienated from love interest Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and good friend Harry Osborn (James Franco). The film's computer-generated special effects are lovely, and it's fun to watch Spidey glide through the sky. But overall, it is lacking in key areas. -- Kathryn Eastburn

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Taxi (PG-13)

A mouthy cab driver (Queen Latifah) has hot tips for a green cop (Jimmy Fallon) set on solving a string of bank robberies. -- Not reviewed

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Without a Paddle (PG-13) Three guys take a canoe upriver into Oregon's wilderness, where everything that can go wrong does. -- Not reviewed